1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for deploying services over a content-specific session. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for dynamically providing a user with a resource-oriented login over a PPPoE connection that includes attributes that allows the user to better utilize the resource.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems in general and International Business Machines (IBM) compatible personal computer systems in particular have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. A personal computer system can usually be defined as a desk top, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a system processor and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, a display monitor, a keyboard, one or more diskette drives, a fixed disk storage device and an optional printer.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a system board to electrically connect these components together. These personal computer systems are information handling systems which are designed primarily to give independent computing power to a single user (or a relatively small group of users in the case of personal computers which serve as computer server systems) and are inexpensively priced for purchase by individuals or small businesses. A personal computer system may also include one or a plurality of I/O devices (i.e. peripheral devices) which are coupled to the system processor and which perform specialized functions. Examples of I/O devices include modems, sound and video devices or specialized communication devices. Nonvolatile storage devices such as hard disks, CD-ROM drives and magneto-optical drives are also considered to be peripheral devices.
Computers are often linked to one another using a network, such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or other types of networks such as the Internet. By linking computers, one computer can use resources owned by another computer system. These resources can include files stored on nonvolatile storage devices and resources such as printers. An application program called a “browser” is used to view pages of information received from servers on a large computer network, such as the Internet.
The Internet is a global network connecting millions of computers. Unlike online services, which are centrally controlled, the Internet is decentralized by design. Each Internet computer, called a host, is independent. Its operators can choose which Internet services to use and which local services to make available to the global Internet community.
There are a variety of ways to access the Internet. Many Internet users gain access through a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs generally provide Internet access through a modem and PPP connection Increasingly, ISPs are providing “broadband” connections to the Internet, such as cable modems or DSL, in addition to wireless connections connectivity. ISPs may provide additional services, such as leased lines (T-1 or T-3) and Web development. Online services, such as “portals” and other types of Web sites provide their own proprietary content in addition to Internet access.
DSL refers collectively to all types of digital subscriber lines, the two main categories being ADSL and SDSL. DSL is growing in popularity as more areas around the world gain network (i.e., Internet) access. Two other types of DSL technologies are High-data-rate DSL (HDSL) and Very high DSL (VDSL). DSL technologies use sophisticated modulation schemes to pack data onto copper wires. They are sometimes referred to as “last-mile” technologies because they are used only for connections from a telephone switching station to a home or office, not between switching stations.
DSL is similar to ISDN inasmuch as both operate over existing copper telephone lines (POTS) and both typically require short runs to a central telephone office (usually less than 20,000 feet). However, DSL offers much higher speeds—up to 32 Mbps for downstream traffic, and from 32 Kbps to over 1 Mbps for upstream traffic.
ADSL is short for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, a technology that allows more data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines (POTS). ADSL currently supports data rates of from 1.5 to 9 Mbps when receiving data (known as the downstream rate) and from 16 to 640 Kbps when sending data (known as the upstream rate).
SDSL is short for Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line, a technology that also allows more data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines. SDSL supports data rates up to 3 Mbps. SDSL works by sending digital pulses in the high-frequency area of telephone wires. Since these high frequencies are not used by normal voice communications, SDSL can operate simultaneously with voice connections over the same wires. Both ADSL and SDSL require a special modem. SDSL is called symmetric because it supports the same data rates for upstream and downstream traffic. Conversely, ADSL is call asymmetric because it does not support the same data rates for upstream and downstream traffic.
PPPoE is short for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet. PPPoE relies on two widely accepted standards: PPP and Ethernet. PPPoE is a specification for connecting the users on an Ethernet to the Internet through a common broadband medium, such as a single DSL line, wireless device or cable modem. All the users over the Ethernet share a common connection, so the Ethernet principles supporting multiple users in a LAN combine with the principles of PPP, which apply to serial connections.
PPP (short for Point-to-Point Protocol), is a method of connecting a computer to the Internet. PPP is more stable than the older SLIP protocol and provides error checking features. Working in the data link layer of the OSI model, PPP sends the computer's TCP/IP packets to a server that puts them onto the Internet.
Ethernet is a local-area network (LAN) architecture developed by Xerox Corporation in cooperation with DEC and Intel in 1976. Ethernet uses a bus or star topology and supports data transfer rates of 10 Mbps. The Ethernet specification served as the basis for the IEEE 802.3 standard, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Ethernet uses the CSMA/CD access method to handle simultaneous demands. Ethernet is one of the most widely implemented LAN standards.
With some Point-to-Point Protocol implementations, such as a DSL implementation, it is possible for the ISP to configure users' access individually. In this manner, one user can receive different attributes, such as bandwidth, than another user even though both users are using the same ISP. One user can therefore pay more money in order to have more bandwidth between their computer system and the ISP.
A challenge with having different bandwidths for different users is that a user with more bandwidth often times does not need the larger bandwidth he or she is receiving in order to perform network operations, such as visiting Web sites. Likewise, a user with less bandwidth may encounter times, such as when downloading and playing multimedia content, for which additional bandwidth would be helpful to avoid slow or choppy delivery.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that provides additional attributes, such as bandwidth, to a user based upon the resource requested by the user. In particular, what is needed is a system and method that provides the user with a dynamically created service login in response to a resource request, wherein the service login includes attributes corresponding to the desired resource.